The outlets, which will feature more than 100 designer retailers, a boutique hotel with a rooftop venue and a 1,250-space parking garage, is close to 70 percent leased and will open in March, said Ferrara.

According to a spokesman for the project, the vast majority of the retail steel superstructure has been erected, and the facade has been installed on what is being referred to as building/wing E.

"We are thrilled to see the future of the North Shore rising higher each day, and shoppers across the five boroughs are getting more excited than ever about the city's first premium outlet center. Our unique mix of retail and dining means that when residents and tourists come to Empire Outlets, they will go where New York is going," Ferrara said.

The project will be situated next to the New York Wheel, which will be one of the tallest observation wheels in the Western hemisphere and is expected to draw millions of riders per year.